Conduit switch box



il 1 Apr 927 c. D. CONVERSE connuxw swmcn BOX Filed Oct. 26, 1925 a a i5 10 Ira/enforc- (War/e17. film/P166.

fliarney,

Patented Apr. 2c, 1927.

UNITED, STATES CHARLES D. CONVERSE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CONDUI'I' SWITCH BOX.

. x. Application filed October 26, 1925. Serial No. 64,730.

This invention particularly pertains to a conduit switch-box of the typeemployed in encasing side wall switches in the electr1cal wiring systemsof buildings. Switch-boxes of this character are ordinarily nailed tostudding with their outer open portions projecting beyond the plane oflath earned by the studding and arranged Wl'th' thelr margins extendingsubstantially flush with the surface of plaster applied to the lath, andaccordingly, it is necessary to provide some means for supporting theends of lath terminating adjacent the side of the switchbox facing awayfrom the studding to WlllCh it is applied. This is accomplished byforming the side wall of the switch-box with a 8.11 of spaced arallelvertically extendmg flanges arranged to extend astride-the terminatlonsof lath to hold the latter against lateral displacement.

' The primary object of the present invention is to nrovide'aconstruction whereby the switch-box may be formed of sheet metal and thelath-holding flanges formed integral therewith and without forming theswitch-box with objectionable side opemn s.

A further object is to provide a switc box including lath-engagingflanges whlch is formed in one piece from a sheet metal plate.

With the foregoing objects in view, togather with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the mvention resides in theconstructlon and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawin in which: I

ig. 1 is a perspective view of the switch- Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailin vertical section, as seen on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank from which the switch-boxis fabricated; y

Fig. 4 is a detail in section as seen on the-line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating the application of the invention.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, 4 indicates generally theswitch-box which embodies a back wall 5, side walls 6 and 7, and endwalls 8 and 9, and which walls are formed integral from a blank of sheetmetal as shown in Fig. 3; the blank embod g a central rectangularportion mdiea by the dotted lines a, b, c and d,

which portion constitutes the back wall 5 v and from the margins ofwhichproject rectangular portions adapted on being bent perpendicularly tothe portion 5 to form the side and end walls of the box. The end walls 8and 9 are formed with side tongues to determine the extent of theprojection ofthe box beyond the studding, as shown in Fig. 5.

The essence of the present invention resides in providing the box withintegral lath-engaging flanges on the outer face of the wall 7, and iscarried into effect by forming the end wall portions 8 and 9 of thesheet metal blank with lateral extensions as indicated at 14 and 15,each. of which embodies an elongated central portion defined by thedotted lines e, f, g and 71. and includes side marginal portions 16 and17 spaced from the uncture of the extensionswith the end panel portions,and includes an end tongue 18. The lateral extensions 16 and 17 are bentto extend parallel to each other at right angles to the central portionsof the extensions, and the latter are bent to extend over and abutagainst the outer face. of the side wall'7 so that the flanges 16 and 17will project outwardly therefrom at right angles thereto, as clearlyshown in Fig. 1. The tongues 18 on the outer ends of the extensions arebent to engage margins of openings 19 formed in'the side wall 7, asparticularly shown in Fig. 2, thus firmly holding the extensions 14 and15 in their overlap ed positions on the outer face of the we 7 and atthe same time effecting a connection between the end walls 8 and 9 andthe side wall 7 and tying these walls to gether. t

It will be seen that when the switch-box is completed the extensions 14and 15 will pro ect toward each other, and that their respectiveoutturned flange portions 16 and 1 V will be arranged in alignment. Theside wall 7 is thus formed with two pairsof spaced outwardly projectingflan es, which flanges are laterally spaced such stance as to form a gapto receive lath C with the flanges extendin in close roximity to theopposite sides 0 the lath .isposed therebetween, as shown in Fig. 5.

In order to inset the lath-engaging members relatively to the outermargin of the box the point of 'unctures of the extensions 14 and 15with t e end panels 8 and 9 are s aced inwardly from the end mar ms oftgepanels, as particularly shown in ig. 3.

I claim:

' 1. In a switch-box, an end wall, a side wall, an extension projectingfrom said end wall overlying the side wall and spaced out-turned flangeson said extension projecting substantially at right angles from the sidewall forming a lath-receiving member, said extension being formed withan end tongue and said side wall being formed with an opening to receivesaid tongue.

2. In a switch-box, an end wall, a side wall, an extension projectingfrom said end wall overlying the side wall and spaced out-turned flangeson said extension projecting substantially at right angles from the sidewall formin a lath-receiving member, and means or connecting the endportion of said extension to said side wall. 3. In a switch-box having abottom wall, side walls and end walls; said walls bein Y formed of sheetmetal; extensions former on the side margins of each of said end wallsprojecting over the outer face of one of the side walls having endtongues engaging said side walls, and a pair of spaced parallel flangesformed on each of said extensions and projecting outwardly from theouter face of said side walls with the flanges on one of said extensionsarranged in alignment with the flanges on the other extension.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature.

CHARLES D. CONVERSE.

